Electrical counter

ABSTRACT

An electrical counter in which two movable contacts are provided in one rotatable wheel, six types of fixed contacts are provided on the respective orbits of circular movement of said movable contacts, and both magnet means and push-button means are provided for selectivity operating said rotatable wheel in accordance with a manual or electrical procedure.

United States Patent Miyagawa et al. May 23, 1972 541 ELECTRICAL COUNTER[56] References Cited [72] Inventors: Takashi Miyagawa, Osaka-fu;Shunsuke UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Matsllo; Mlsflllol'i Maislllmlo, both of2,344,254 3/1944 Leathers et al. .'.235/92 EA y all f pa 2,700,076 l/1955 Goode ..235/92 EA v 2,945,624 7/1960 Nicolaus ..235/92 C I731Assignee. gmzgn Tatelsi Electronics Co., Kyoto-fu, 2,973,145 2,1961Daniels et a1; 235]92 EA p 2,094,122 9/1937 l-laselton ..235/92 C [22]Filed: June 26, 1970 3,120,602 2/ 1964 Lagarde ..235/92 C [21] Appl50l74 Primary Examiner-'I'ltomas A. Robinson Assistant Examiner-JosephM. Thesz, Jr. I AttomeyCraig, Antonelli & Hill [30] Foreign ApplicationPriority Data [57] ABSTRACT June 27, 1969 Japan ..44/5 1456 Anelectrical counter in which two movable contacts are provided in onerotatable wheel, six types of fixed contacts are [52] U.S. Cl ..235/92EA, 235/92 C, 340/378 provided on the respective orbits of circularmovement of said [51] Int. Cl. ..G06m 1/27 movable contacts, and bothmagnet means and push-button [58] Field of Search ..235/92 C, 92 EA,1.3; 340/378, means are provi ed for elec ivi y perating said rotatable340/9 wheel in accordance with'a manual or electrical procedure.

l0 Claim, 1 1 Drawing Figures Patented May 23, 1972 3,665,166

5 Sheets-Sheet E5 INVENTORS Tmnsm HWAGAWA, smmsuus MATSUO BY ANDMASANORI MATSUMOTO Cvoic Rrfl'one h, Stcuork H1 ATTORNEYS Patented May23, 1972 3,665,166

3 Shucts-Shoet 4 pi q- B 0 Q 95A! 6 INVENTORS TAKASHI MPIAGAWA, SHUNSUKEmm'suo BY AND MAsANom m'rsumoro Cvq'q qntnnvllll Smart ATTORNEYSPatented May 23, 1972 3,665,166

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS TAKASHI MIYAG'AWA, SIIUNSUKE Mm'suo BY ANDMAsnNom Mnrsur mro Graig qflrnm ui, Stuart ATTORNEYS ELECTRICAL COUNTERan electrical counter in which the movable contacts rotatably mounted inthe figure wheel slidably contact with the fixed contacts providedalong, the orbits circular movement of the movable contacts on theprinted circuit card, said fixed contacts, including counting contactsin consistency with the numerical figure from to 9, resetting contactfor clearing off the numerical character to 0 and a column transferringcontact.

Prior art counters, each which counts the number of electric pulsesimpressed by the electric device are respectively provided with sixtypes of contacts, that is, three pairs of read out contact and commoncontact such as a pair of counting contacts for counting purposes, apair of transferring contacts for a column transfer pulse to betransferred to asecond counter upon completion of the counting operationby the first counter thereby to cause the second counter to operate, anda pair of resetting contacts for resetting the figures to 0" during thecounting operation.

These prior art counters are each provided with two or three rotatablewheels therein together with movable contacts adapted to connect betweensaid pair of read out contact and common contact, resulting in countershaving complicated circuits and are, large in size and high in cost.Further, if a counter is provided with one rotatable wheel together withthree movable contacts each adapted to connect the read out contact andcommon contact of either of three pairs concentrically disposed withrespect to said movable contacts, said rotatable wheel may become solarge in diameter and require so high a power for it to be driven thatno commercial success has been achieved in the small electrical device.

One important object of this invention is to provide a simplifiedelectrical counter having improved structural features and operationalcharacteristics. v

Another important object of the invention is to provide an electricalcounter'which is adapted to be conveniently made in various sizes,including miniature and sub-miniature sizes, and which is capable ofrendering efficient and dependable service over extended periods oftime.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical counter ofthe character indicated that is simple, compact and light-weight indesign; that is durable in construction; that is reasonable inmanufacturing cost; and that is capable of perbeing disposedindependently while a common contact en-.

gageable with said transferring read out contact and said resetting readout contact is disposed on the same orbit of circular movement of theassociated movable contact, whereby the construction thereof can besimple, small and compact with reduction of the diameter of therotatable wheel necessary for the counter of the present invention.

Therefore, a counter provided by this invention is characterized in theprovision of a housing, a circuit card disposed in the housing, fixedcontacts for counting digits of 0 to 9, a fixed contact for resettingthe digit to O, a pair of common contacts for connecting with saidcorresponding fixed contacts, said both fixed contacts and commoncontacts being disposed in concentric on said card, a fixed contact fortransferring one column disposed in the same circle as that of saidresetting contact on said card, a wheel disposed rotatably over saidcard in the housing, a first movable contact for contacting slidinglybetween said counting contacts and one of said common contacts, and asecond movable contact for contacting slidingly among said resettingcontact, transferring contact and the other of said common contacts,said both movable contacts being disposed on wheel.

The counter of this invention is also provided with push-button meansefi'ective to operate the rotatably wheel, so that the counter may bemanually operated whenever desired. Furthermore, the present inventionis to provide a mounting arrangement of simplified construction withwhich a counter or counters formed into a unitary structure can bereadily mounted in the mounting opening of a panel board to which it isdetachably mounted. Moreover, the unitary structure that has been formedwith the counters may be easily disassembled for the purposed ofre-combination of the counters with other inasmuch as the dimensionsinvolved permit. a

This inventionis of generic scope and illustrated herein by means of aspecific embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings in which: 7

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a unitary structure set up with aplurality of electrically operated counters and a pair of mountingmembers at both sides of said counters, and a panel having an openingfor mounting said unitary structure therein,

FIG. 2 is a disassembled view, in perspective, of the unitary structureof FIG. 1,

I FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the unitary structure mounted in thepanel opening showing the mounting member being resiliently held in saidopening,

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the counter showing its interior mechanism,

FIG. 5 is an exploded view, in perspective, of parts of the counter ofFIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of a printed circuit cardemployed in the counter of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a enlarged plan view of a rotatable wheel of the counter ofFIG. 4, FIG. 8 is a sectional view FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a schematic layout of the electric circuit of-the counterincluding the printed circuit card and control wirings disposed on eachside thereof,

FIG. 10 is a enlarged view of a portion of a printed circuit cardsimilar to that of FIG. 6, but showing a further modified embodiment,and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a part of a rotatable wheel similar tothat of FIG. 7 but showing a further modified embodiment.

r The objects of the present invention are accomplished by the preferredform of construction shown in the accompanying drawings. In thisconnection, the counter 10 according to the present invention as shownin FIG. 4 through FIG. 8 is composed of three main components, namely,the housing 11 with a removable cover (not shown in Figures), theprinted taken along the line VIII-VIII in circuit card 20 having polesand contacts, and the rotatable wheel 30 with its control elementsincluding magnet means 40 and push-button means 50. The printed circuitcard 20 and rotatable wheel 30 are disposed between a pair of framesaccommodated within the housing 11.

The housing 11, which may be made by molding plastic material in theform of a substantially rectangular container with front and both sideswalls 11a, 11b, is provided with a front window 12 through which aproper numerical figure 31 engraved on the outer periphery of therotatable wheel 30 can be viewed by the human eyes and with a pluralityof holes 13 for inserting setting bolts 70. The interier of the housing11 is also provided with metal wells (not shown) adapted to receivebolts to hold the frames in place and with metal wells 14 adapted toreceive respective bolts for securing the remmovable cover plate overthe housing 1 I in place. As shown in FIG. 5, the pair of frames aredetachably secured through sleeves 61 provided on botton frame 60a inone body having an interval therebetween in which the printed circuitcard 20, rotatable wheel 30 and control elements 40, 50 are placed. Manymounting projections including screws, sleeves and shafts are providedon the upper surface of the botton frame 60a for mounting the printedcircuit card 20, rotatable wheel 30, control elements 40, 50 and topframe (not shown).

The printed circuit card on which the circuit is printed is made ofrigid plastic material and is provided with apertures 21 through whichthe projections of the bottom frame 60a are extended, and with copperplated holes 22, if necessary, for circuit connection to other printedcircuits as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 10. The rotatable wheel 30which is made of plastic is rotatably mounted around one of theprojections 62, the periphery of said wheel 30 being in register withthe window 12 of the housing 11. This rotatable wheel 30 is rotatable inone direction as a detent piece 39 pivotally secured around a shaft 67and always engaged to gear teeth 32 of the rotatable wheel 30 restrictthe rotation of the latter in the opposite direction.

Disposed over the printed circuit card 20 is a horizontally lying magnetmeans 40 including an electromagnetic coil 41 and a moving iron plate 42adapted to be attracted by the electromagnetic coil 41 upon applicationof an electric current to the latter. This electromagnetic coil 41 issecured by projections 63 on the bottom frame 60a, to which saidprojections respective nuts 43 are rigidly fastened. Disposed betweensaid electromagnetic coil 41 and moving iron plate 42 is a nonmagnetizedshielding plate 44 for shielding residual magnetism of the magneticfield. 'The moving iron plate 42 is rotatably supported as particularlyshown in FIG. 4 by the fulcrum 45 provided at the upper right-handcorner of the magnet means 40, and normally biased in the clockwisedirection away from the electromagnetic coil 41 by the action of aspring 46 provided between said plate 42 and one of projections 62.Between the rotatable wheel and the moving iron plate 42, asubstantially Y-shaped lever escapement 47 is rotatably disposed arounda pivot 64 extended from the bottom frame. This lever escapement 47 isformed with a rear end 47a which is loosely engaged to the adjacent end42a of the moving iron plate 42 in the non-detachable condition withrespect to the latter and is also formed with a pair of bifurcated frontends 4711 and 47c adapted to engage alternatively with any one of gearteeth 32 integrally formed with the rotatable wheel 30. When the movingiron plate 42 is attracted by the excited electromagnetic coil 41, thelever escapement 47 is rotated a predetermined angular distance in theclockwise direction whereby one of the front ends thereof 47b is broughtinto engagement with a proper one of the gear teeth 32 of the rotatablewheel 30 to advance the latter half a pitch of the gear teeth. At thistime, the other end 470 of the escapement 47 is disengaged from a properone of the gear teeth 32 because the force of a spring 48 providedbetween the escapement 47 and a projection 65 of the bottom frame 60a isovercome by the magnetic force of the excited electromagnetic coil 41.

' However, when the electromagnetic coil 41 is demagnetized, the spring46 causes the iron plate 42 to move upwardly so that the escapement 47is rotated the same angular distance in the counterclockwise directionin cooperation with the spring 48, whereby the front end 470 of saidescapement 47 is brought into engagement with the proper gear tooth 32of the rotatable wheel 30 to advance the latter the rest half of apitch, while the end 4712 of the escapement 47 is disengaged from theproper gear tooth 32.

As hereinbefore described, it will be thus understood that the rotatablewheel 30 integrally formed with the gear teeth 32 face of the rotatablewheel 30 so that any one of the figures 31 may be positioned in registerwith the viewing window 12 of the housing 11 upon stepwise rotation ofthe rotatable wheel 30. In FIG. 1, the characters 1 and 5 are shown asappeared in the viewing windows 12 respectively of a combined pair ofthe counters 10a and 10b.

While the counter mechanism has been constructed as hereinbefore fullydescribed, the housing 11 therefor is formed at its front wall beneaththe viewing window 12 with an opening 15 through which a push-button 50normally biased to the left by a spring 51 is extended. Within thehousing 11, this push-button 50 is pivotally connected at its righthandextermity with the adjacent end of a lever 52 by means of a pin 53, saidlever 52 being pivotally secured to a shaft 66 provided on the bottomframe 60a. This lever 52 is also designed as to have the other free end52a adapted to abut against a stop pin 49 integrally formed with one offront end 47b of the lever escapement 47. This free end 52a of the lever52 is normally disengaged from said stop pin 49 so that it does notinterfere the pivotal movement of the lever escapement 47 that would beeffected to rotate the rotatable wheel 30 when the electromagnetic coil41 is energized.

While the electromagnetic coil 41 is not energized and at this time thepush-button 50 is depressed against the resilient force of the spring51, the lever 52 will be pivoted around the shaft 66 in thecounterclockwise direction, causing the free end 52a of the lever 52 toabut against the stop pin 49 thereby to rotate the lever escapement 47in the clockwise direction. Upon rotation of the lever escapement 47around the pivot 64 in the clockwise direction, the rotatable wheel 30will be rotated a first half of a pitch between one tooth to the other.Subsequently, the push-button 50 is released from its depression, thelever 52 will be rotated around the shaft 66 in the counterclockwisedirection so that the free end 524 of the lever 52 is disengaged fromthe stop pin 49, causing the lever escapement 47 to be rotated in thecounterclockwise direction by the action of the spring 48 thereby torotate the rotatable wheel 30 the remaining half of the pitch. Thus, aone pitch transfer of the figure wheel is completed.

By repeating the abovementioned procedure, transfer of the figure from0" to 1, 1" to 2, 2 to 3," 3" to 4," and so on, can be manuallyperformed in the counter 10 according to the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 in which the construction of therotatable wheel 30 is shown, the rotatable wheel 30 having integral thegear teeth 32 is formed with two pairs of through holes 33A, 33B and33C, 33D eccentric to each other. These through holes 33A, 33B, 33C and33 D respectively accommodate therein springs 34 and balls, that is, twopairs of movable contacts 35A, 35D and 35B,35C, each of the balls 35having the diameter slightly smaller than that of each of the throughholes 33. The rotatable wheel 30 is also formed at its upper surfacewith a recess 36 in which a pair of electric conductive detent pieces 37and 38 is disposed.

As clearly illustrated in FIG. 8, the upper end of each of the throughholes 33 is closed by the electric conductive detent piece 37 or 38 andone of the balls 35 is positioned about the other end or lower end ofthe through hole 33 with a spring 34 being interposed between saiddetent piece 37 or 38 and the ball 35. However, it should be noted thatthe balls 35 are held in position sandwiched between the springs 34 andthe printed circuit card 20 so as to slidably contact contacts A, B, Cand D provided on said card, respectively, as will be hereinafterdescribed. The balls 35A and 35D are electrically associated to eachother through the corresponding springs 34 by means of the detent piece37 to serve as one movable contact A, D while the balls 35B and 35C areelectrically associated to each other through the corresponding springs34 by means of the detent piece 38 to serve as the other movable contactB, C.

The printed circuit card 20 is provided on its surface beneath therotatable wheel 30 with four orbits of circular movement of the balls35A, 35B, 35C and 35D, respectively, said orbits being equally spaced inthe radial direction. Refer-

1. An electrical counter for counting and displaying a counting sequencehaving at least one counting means, each comprising a housing, a circuitcard disposed in said housing, a plurality of first fixed contactsdisposed on said card and adapted to be electrically connected in thecounting sequence of the counter wherein each of said first fixedcontacts correspond to a predetermined digit in one order position ofthe counting sequence, a second fixed contact disposed on said card andadapted to be electrically connected for resetting the counting means, apair of common contacts disposed on said card, each of said pair ofcommon contacts and said plurality of first fixed contacts and saidsecond fixed contact being arranged along spaced concentric circles, athird fixed contact disposed on said card along the concentric circle ofsaid second fixed contact and adapted to be electrically connected eachtime the counting sequence exceeds the count of the one order positionof said plurality of first fixed contacts, a wheel disposed rotatablyover said card in the housing, a first movable contact for slidinglyconnecting said plurality of first fixed contacts and one of said commoncontacts, and a second movable contact for slidingly connecting saidsecond and third fixed contacts and the other of said common contacts,said first and second movable contacts being disposed on said wheel. 2.An electrical counter as defined in claim 1 further including aplurality of wires connected to said fixed contacts, said wires beingdisposed on opposite sides of said card such that the wires do notcross.
 3. An electrical counter as defined in claim 1 wherein said wheelis provided with a plate mounted thereon and connecting portions forsaid first and second movable contacts are separately printed on thesurface of said plate.
 4. An electrical counter as defined in claim 1further comprising magnet means disposed in the housing adapted to beenergized in accordance with the electrical connection of said fixedcontacts and lever means associated with said magnet means for rotatingsaid wheel in a stepped manner.
 5. An electrical counter as defined inclaim 4 further including a plurality of counting means operativelyconnected in tandem such that each counting means is arranged to count adifferent order position of a counting sequence, said third fixedcontact being electrically connected for energizing said magnet means ofthe adjacent counting means each time the counting sequence exceeds thecount of the order position of the first fixed contacts in saidcorresponding counting means.
 6. An electrical counter as defined inclaim 4 further comprising means for manually rotating said wheel in astepped manner.
 7. An electrical counter as defined in claim 6 andfurther comprising a window formed in said housing, digital displaymeans provided on said wheel and having digits corresponding to thedigits of said plurality of first fixed contacts, said display meansbeing arranged for viewing through said window.
 8. An electrical counteras defined in claim 7 and further comprising a pair of mounting meansfor mounting said housing within an opening of a panel, said mountingmeans being secured to opposite sides of the housing.
 9. An electricalcounter as defined in claim 8 including a plurality of counting meansoperatively connected and having the housings thereof arranged intandem, said pair of mounting means being secured to opposite sides ofthe counter.
 10. An electrical counter as defined in claim 8 whereinsaid mounting means includes members secured to opposite sides of thecounter and resilient members carried by said securing members fordetachably mounting the counter within the opening of the panel.